High Speed Two Ltd is a company established by the UK Department for Transport in 2009 to investigate the feasibility of building a new high
speed rail line between London and Scotland. The company was tasked with producing: - a detailed report and business case for a London to West Midlands high speed route by end 2009, and
- higher level appraisal of options to extend further
north to Manchester, Leeds, other parts of north England, and Scotland.
Essential
Planning Limited provided expert environmental assessment, planning and stakeholder engagement advice to the HS2 Ltd team
to ensure delivery of an appraisal of sustainability report alongside a suite of other HS2 documents to the Secretary of
State for Transport by end 2009. A range of reports were published in March 2010 on the Department for Transport website. The
Appraisal of Sustainability and various other related documents were published in 2011, to accompany a strategic consultation
on the proposals.
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Through the expert services
of Tanya Burdett as Manager, Environmental Assessment, we provided: - Guidance on spatial planning implications and compliance with EU Directives including the following:
- Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive,
- Habitats Directive, and
- Public Participation
Directive and Aarhus Convention
- Guidance on the level
and nature of environmental and sustainability appraisal required
- Development
and management of the tendering process and work undertaken by consultants appointed to undertake the Appraisal of Sustainability
of HS2 proposals
- Stakeholder liaison including regular briefings
of:
- HS2 Technical Challenge Group,
- AoS Reference Group,
- other ad hoc groups established to discuss particular impacts including climate change and noise impacts
- Ministers including the Secretary of State for Transport on the key impacts of
the proposals, potential for mitigation, and recommendations for improvements in scheme design
- Advice on preparation for the strategic
consultation on HS2 proposals, expected in early 2011.
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